A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cazes family of France.
Reg. 8487 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
ravenConstancy and divine providence
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg à trois têtes de corbeau de sa.”
GuyenneGuyenne, c. 1815
Where the Cazes Arms Were Recorded
Guyenne
Map of France showing where the Cazes arms are recorded
The Cazes arms were recorded in Guyenne, c. 1815.
Guyenne was the great wine country of south-western France, shipping claret to England for centuries. The trade made merchant families rich, they bought vineyards and estates with the money, and land of that kind brought arms with it.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in France in this period.
Napoleon
Sovereign of the period
Napoleon
1815–1815
Reigning in France when the Cazes arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in France
In France, a coat of arms was a mark of honor that passed down through the male line to all legitimate descendants. Families often used the same shield without changes to show their shared heritage. If a branch wanted to stand out, they could add a small mark to their shield to show their specific place in the family tree.
Granting authority
The Juge d'armes de France acted as the official authority that regulated and verified coats of arms across the country.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms from ancestors, though they could also receive them through royal grants or by proving their noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Armorial Général de France, which began its main collection in the year 1696.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Guyenne.
Origin & History of the Cazes Family in France
The surname Cazes is deeply rooted in the historical region of Guyenne in southwestern France, where the family was well-established by the early nineteenth century. The name is derived from the Occitan word *caze*, which refers to a small house, a hut, or a plot of land. This suggests that the earliest ancestors were likely farmers or rural landowners who were identified by the specific location of their homesteads. During the period around 1815, families bearing this name were active members of the local community in the departments of Lot-et-Garonne and Gironde. As the region transitioned through the political upheavals of the Napoleonic era and the Bourbon Restoration, the Cazes family maintained their presence in these agrarian landscapes. Their history reflects the broader patterns of life in rural France, where family identity was closely tied to the cultivation of the land and the stability of village life.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Casa
Latin term referring to a small house, cottage, or hut.
This name
CazesDerived from the Occitan word for houses, indicating someone who lived near specific dwellings.
also spelled
Cazes
de Kaz
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Archives Départementales de Lot-et-Garonne, État civil et recensements de population
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
ravenConstancy and divine providence
ravenConstancy and divine providence
